Apparatus for banding hats



I 1 E. E. HODSHON 3 ,573

APPARATUS FOR BANDING HATS Filed NOV. 2'7. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEYQ Dct; 8, 1929.

E. E. HODSHON APPARATUS FOR BANDING HATS Filed Nov. 27, 1925 s sheets-sheet g 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR fifEfiOiflZt/I? BY Q ATTORNEYS E. E. HODSHON APPARATUS FOR BANDING HATS Filed NOV. 27, 1925 Oct. 8, 1929.

II! PIIIAPIII Oct. 8, 1929.

E. E. HODSHQN 1,730,573

APPARATUS FOR BANDING HATS Filed NOV. 27, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 56 v F Y INVENTOR v 58 ir/Last 51704072012 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 8, 19 29 PATENT o rlc ERNEST E. HODSHON, or nanny, new J'E'Its Y APPARATUS FOR BANDING HATS Application filed November 27, 1925. Serial No. 71,719.

This invention relates tohat banding and has for an object the provision of. an efficient apparatus for winding an ornamental ribbon and an underlying strip of adhesive material about the crown of a hat and securing the ribbon in place by subjecting the adhesive material to the heating effect of steam.

Anotherobject is to provide a compact self-contained apparatus of the character above mentioned Which includes means for generating the steam as it is needed for each I banding operation.

Inthe drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus; .15 Fig. 2: is a perspective view of a hat banded by the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a plan view ofv the apparatus with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 .a section on the line H of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 5 a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 an enlarged detail section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1; Fig-7 a detail. side view of the structure shown inFig. 6;

Fig. 8. a longitudinal sectional view of the hat block and its supporting means;

Fig. 9 a sectiontaken on the line 9-9 of Fig; 8;

Fig. 10 a detail perspective view of one of the bridge members for the hat block;

Fig. 11 a section on the line 11-11 of l;

"Fig. 1-2 a section on the line 1212 of Fig. 11;

.35 7 Fig. 13 a longitudinal section throughthe steam generating unit upon a larger scale; Fig.14 a View of the discharge end of the steam generating unit;

' Fig. 15 an enlarged View of the sealing unit rtly in section;

"Flgn16 a detail sectional view of a. union in the water delivery pipe leading to the steam generating unit; i

Figs. '17 and 18 perspective views of certain details of the structure at the discharge .end of. the generating unit;

Fig. 19 a side elevation of a portion of the apparatus showing a hat mounted on the blockand. the steamingand roll supporting members rocked away from the block;

.ing mechanism;

Fig. 20 aview illustrating the beginning of the banding operation;

Fig; 21, an enlarged detail section taken on theline 15- -15 of Fig. lishowing the count- Fig. 22 a detail viewof the water and compressedair tank; and I Fig. 23 a detail view showing the final step in the hat. banding operation.

Referring to the various parts by, numerals, 6 0

the apparatusincludes a table 1 supported on legs 2." Supported over the. center of the table is an expandible hat block B, so mounted that it maybe rotated about a horizontal axis and alsomoved through a circular orbit of 6 small diameter. A steam generating and discharge units is supported adjacent to the block B and is'directed toward it. The block is mountedfor said compound movement in order tomaintain it inprope-r relation to the... units during a hat steaming operation which will be described-later.

The means for supporting the block ,in-

eludes a pedestal 3 mounted upon and bolted to the table. At the upper end of the pedestal 3'is formed abearing 4 in which is journalled a short horizontally disposedv shaft 5 of relatively large diameter and formed with a longitudinal bore '6. This bore is eccentrically located in the shaft andhasjournalledin ita slender shaft 7. Theshaft 7 emerges through theopposite ends of the shaft 5and hasaninternaljgear 8 fixed to oneof its emerging ends, Tov the opposite end of the shaft 7 is-fixed. a plate 9which sup- 85 ports the hat block. An upwardly extendingbracket 10 is securedto the pedestal 3 and supports a short stub shaft 11 at itsupper end. in alinement with the center of the large shaft. 5. This -shaft-11 is securedyto the. 9 bracket by a set screw 12 and projects into the eccentrically located; internal gear 8. A pinion l3 is fixed to the stub shaft and meshes with the internal gear. The diameter of the pinion. is one half that of the gear. l/Vhen the largeshaft 5111s turned the eccentric shaft 7 and the internal gear -8 will be moved through a circular orbitand the fixed pinion 13 will: cause said gear and shaft to rotate a half. revolution for each fullrevolutionfof 0 the large shaft. In order to turn the large shafta hand wheel 14 is fixed to one end of said shaft adjacent the internal gear 8. The hat block B is elliptical in form and by moving it as described its peripheral surface will be maintained in a substantially uniform spaced relation to the heating unit S throughout a complete rotation of the block.

The elliptical block B is divided along its major and minor axes into four sections 15 adapted to be expanded apart to vary the circumference of the block and adapt it to fit hats of different sizes. Each block section 15 is secured to a supporting. bar 16. These bars 16 are carried by the plate 9 and are slidably mounted in radially extending retaining grooves 17 formed in said plate. A plate 18 is rotatably mounted upon the small shaft 7 and bears against the inner face of the plate 9. The plate 18 is formed with four eccentric cam slots 19. Projecting from each supporting bar 16 is a pin 20 which extends through one of four clearance openings formed in the plate 9 and into one of the cam slots 19 formed in the inner plate 18. A rotation of the plate 18 in one direction upon the shaft 7 will cause the cam slots 19 to move the bars 16 and the block sections 15 radially an o eratin rin 21 is rovided. This rin b b b encircles the bearing 4 and is rigidly connected to the plate 18 in spaced relation thereto by spacing arms 21. A plate 22 is secured over the exposed face of the plate 18 to cover the cam slots. 9

It is desirable that the gaps, formed in the peripheral surface of the hat block by the expansion thereof, should be bridged, in order to provide a firm, continuous surface for certain pressing operations performed in connection with the banding of the hat. A plurality of bridge members 28 are provided. Said members are formed of sheet metal and are substantially L-shaped, each member ineluding a bridge portion 24 and an angularly extending guide portion 25. 'The bridge portion 24 is slightly arcuate in cross section and is adapted to extend across the gap between two of the block sections and to bear upon the peripheral surface of the block at rockable standard 80. This unit includes a cylindrical shell 81. Secured across one end of said shell is a plate 82 formed at its inner face: with an annular flange 88 adapted to fit over the end of the shell. Screws 84 secure theflange 83 to the shell. The plate 82 is also formed with a flange 35 extending from its outer face. This flange 85 is square in outline. A helically coiled water pipe or tube 86 of small diameter is arranged longitudinally within the shell 81 and has one of its ends 87 emerging through the side of the shell, and its opposite end 88 extending outwardly through an opening 89 formed in the plate 82 and into the enclosure formed by the flange The end 88 of the pipe is directed inwardly toward the outer surface 40 of the plate 82 and is formed with a discharge Opening 41 in close proximity to said surface.

A heating unit H extends into the shell 81 and includes a porcelain plug member 42 and a porcelain socket member 48. The plug member 42 is substantially in the form of a hollow cylinder formed with a helical groove around its outer surface. 'Wound in said groove is a coiled resistance wire 44. One end of the socket 48 fits within the shell 81 and into said end the plug member is threaded as at 45. The ends of the resistance coils lead to contacts within the socket member. These contacts are adapted to make electrical connection in the usual Way with circuit wires 46 leading into the socket member. The plug member 42 extends centrally throughout the length of the shell 81 and bottoms against the plate 82. Secured to the inner side of the plate 82 is a small tapered porcelain plug 47 which is adapted to enter the end of the plug member 42 and center it within the shell. The entire heating unit His held to the shell 81 by a retaining cap 48 which encloses the socket member 48 and is threaded upon the end of the shell. Interposed between the outer end of the socket member and the cap is a spring washer 49 which yieldingly holds the unit H pressed inwardly against the plate 82 and allows the various parts to expand slightly when heated.

Stretched across the enclosure formed by the flange 85 is a sheet of wire gauze 50. This sheet is folded back over the outer straight sides of the flange and is held in place by a split clamping member 51 which surrounds the flange 85 and is adapted to be clamped against the gauze by a bolt 52 which faced the spool.

inemen is passed "through outward-1y turned ears 53 formed at the split in the clamp. Mounted to slide across the gauze-covered aperture defined by the flange 35 is a trough-like shield '54. The upturned sides of the shield are adapted to slide over the sides of the clamp- "through which air maybe forced into the tank by any suitable means. A gauge 61 mounted upon the top of the tankis adapted to register-the degree ofair pressure therein. A' lsmall tubular conduit 62 leads from the tank to a manually operable valve 63 mounted on the upper face of the table. From the valve '63 a similar conduit 64 leads upward- 1 y overa'st'andard 65, rigidlymounted upon the table, and thence downwardly to the emerging end 37 of the tube 36 to which it is joined by a union 66. Interposed between the joined ends of said tubes, within the union is a washer 67 formed with a restricted opening 68 through it.

Rigidly mounted uponthe table at the oppositeside of the hatblock from the standard 30whi'ch supports'theunit S, is a standard -69. The upper end of this standard 69 has secured to it an arcuate segment 70 formed with ratchet teeth. -A support 71 for rolled strips of hat ribbon and rubber cement is piv- 'otally mounted as at 72 uponthe base 7 3 of the standard 69 and extends upwardly along- 'side said standard. The support 71 is inthe form ofa flat plate and its upper end is inthe shape of a handle 7 4. Mounted upon the handle is a spring pressed latch device L which is adapted to engage the toothed segment 70 and hold-the support in different adjusted positions. A pair of spaced spindles 75 a'n'd 76 are rigidly carri'ed'by the upper end of the supporting plate 71 and project outward horizontally from the plate in di- "re'tionsparallelto the direction of the axis of the hat block. The spindle 75 is adapted to rotatably support a spool 77 of ribbon and the spindle 76 is adapted to rotatably support 'al'spo'ol 78 of rubber cement in strip form. Inorder to preventsaid spools from turning toofr'eely upon the spindles a presser disk 79 is mounted uponeaoh spindle over the outer These disks areyieldi'ngly pressedinwardly'againstthe spools, to hold them against the plate 71, by springs 80 'en- *eircling the spindles and interposed between the pres'ser disks and collars=8l mounted upon the spindles. These collars are adapted to be shiftedalo'ng-the spindles to different positions to the tension of the springs 80 and are adapted to be held in their adjusted positions by set screws 82. I

The ribbon Rand the strip of cement C are adapted to be trained toward the hat block in superposed relation betweenapairof hori- 'zonta-lly disposed tension-rollers 82 and 83 mounted one-above'the other in a U-shaped yoke 84 secured to the supporting plate 71. Theup'per roller'82 is rotatably mounted upon'a'shaft 85 which i's-hinged at one end to the yokeas 'at '86. Theopposite end of the shaft isyi'elding-ly retained within a notch at the opposite side of the yoke by a snap spring 87. The shaft and roller are thus a dapt'ed-tobe swung upwardly away from the lower "roller to facilitate the training of the ribbon and the cement strips between the rollers. The lower roller83-is pressed upwardly towardthe upper-roller by a bowed leaf spring 87, the tension of which is adjusted by a screw 88 threaded through the yoke 84. This lower roller is mounted upon a sl'i aft 89 the ends of which extend through vertically elongated slots in the opposite sides of the yoke. i

The standard -30which supports the unit S is pivotally connected at 90 to a base bracket 91'rigidly mounted upon a block 92'secured to the table. The standard is formed with an arm '93 extending belowthe pivot 90. This arm has a pin and slot connectionwith a bar 94 mounted to slide horizontally within the base'bracket .91. This bar is formed within the bracket with ratchet teeth 95 and extends outwardly from the bracket in thedirection of the hat block. A reach rod '96 is pivotally connected atone end to the outer end of the bar 94, extends along the table, and is pivotally connected at 97 to the spool-supporting plate 71 above the pivoted connection 72 thereof. The plate'71 and the standard 30 are thus connected together by the reach rod 96 and the bar 94 to be moved in unison toward or from the hat block when the said plate 71 is rocked by the handle 74.

Mounted upon the base bracket 91 is a small counting mechanism 98. This mechanism has'a rockable operating'arm 9.9 which extends downwardly within the bracket and into engagement with the teeth 95 on the bar 94. As the bar 94 is "moved by the rocking movement of the standard 30 and the spoolsupporting plate 71, as just described, the counting mechanism will be caused to register the number ofsaid movements. The bracket is formed to cover and conceal the actuating arm 99' and the ratchetteeth 95 in order to prevent tampering with or accidental operation of the counting mechanism. I

The upper end of the rigid standard 65 carries -a*la-tera'l'ly extending arm 100. Suspended from this arm by :means o'fa spring 101 is an electrically heated sealing unit 102. This unit includes a handle 103 and a T-shaped heating iron 104 connected to the handle by, a shank 105 and asleeve 106. Within said sleeve isa resistance coil 10'? for heating the iron. The sealing unit is normally suspended by the handle, above the hat block and slightly back of it in order to be out of the .way of the hat brim when a hat is placed upon or removed from the block. i

The arm. 100 is connected to the upper end of the standard by means of a four-way union 108. Leading into the top of said union are the main conducting wires 109 connected at their outer ends to a plug 110 by which they may be connected to the line wires. A socket member 111 provided with a switch is carried by the union 108 and this socket in turn carries a multiple socket member 112. Both of these socket members are electrically connected to the wires 109. he wires 46 are plugged into the socket member 112 and lead therefrom to the socket member 43 of the steam generating unit S. This connection supplies current to the resistance coil 44 of said unit. lVires 113 plugged into the socket member lead to the resistance coil 10? oft-he sealing unit 102 and supply it with current. A lamp 114 plugged into the socket member 112 indicates when the current is turned on.

The apparatus is operated as follows: A hat is placed upon the block with its brim abutting the stop members 29. The block is expanded to lit the hat by turning the ring 21. Theblock sections are locked in an expanded position by a latch'115 carried by the rotatable plate 18 and pressed by a spring 116 into notches 117 formed in the plate 9. This latch is manually releasable by the operation of a projecting finger 118. This adjustment of the block is, of course, necessary only when operating upon hats of different sizes. When the block is once ad justed for a given size it needs no further adjustments to receive successive hats of that size. The ribbon R and the cement strip C are drawn through the tension rollers 82,

and 88 to the hat in superposed relation, with the ribbon uppermost. The free ends of the ribbon and strip are placed by the operative in proper position upon the hat crown. The sealing unit 102 is manually pulled down against the resistance of the spring 101 and its heated iron 104 pressed against the end of the ribbon. The heat and.

pressure from said iron will render the underlying layer of rubber cement adhesive and cause the end of the ribbon to be quickly sealed to the hat. Then the sealing member is released the spring 101 automatically elevates it away from the hat. The block is then turned by the hand-wheel 14 to wind the ribbon and cement strip about the hat crown. The tension rollers and the springpressed presser disks 79 keep the ribbon taut and in proper position upon the crown as it is wound. When the ribbon and strip have been extended around the crown they are severed and the severed ends of the wound portion are sealed to the crown by the sealing iron. j l y The valve 63 connecting the water conduits 62 and 64 is next manually opened. Water is then forced by'the compressed air in the tank 59 through said conduits to the union 66 which connects the conduit 64and the pipe 37 The flow of water is hereproperly restricted by the small apertured washer 67. The water then flows through the pipe 37 and the coiled pipe 36 of the steam generating unit. As the water passes through the coiled pipe it is converted into steam by the heat from the resistance coil 44. The restriction washer 67 determines the maximum flow of water to the generator in accordance with the capacity of the latter to convert the water into steam. The restriction thus prevents flooding of the generator and ensures the generation of dry steam. The steam is discharged through the nozzle end 38 of the coiled pipe, against the outer surface 40 of the plate 32. This plate is heated by the resistance coiland its heated surface 40 reheats the steam discharged against it and scatters or diffuses it. This steam is directed by the flange 35 through the gauze 50 and against the ribbon wound upon the hat crown. The scattering of the steam by the surface 40 causes it to emerge evenly through the entire surface of the gauze instead of passing out in the form of a concentrated jet. The hat block is rotated a full revolution to bring the entire length of the ribbon successively in the path of'this steam jet. The heat from the steam penetrates quickly through the ribbon to the underlying cement strip and renders it adhesive. The steam is thus generated in the generating unit as it is needed for each operation. When the steaming operation is completed, the valve 63 is operated to shut off the flow of water to the steam generator, and the unit S and the ribbon roll support are expanded away from the hat block by releasing the latch L and moving the handle 7 4 to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 19. A pair of rollers 119 carried by a handle 120 are pressed against the ribbon, directly the said unit and ribbon roll support have been moved out of the way, and the hat block is again rotated. This pressure irons .out the ribbon and causes the cement to intimately unite it with the hat. The entire banding operation is then completed and the hat is removed from the block.

The steam generating and discharge unit '55 is removably supported in any suitable manner upon an arm 121 carried by the upper end of the standard 30. This arm, when the standard 30 is swung inwardly, supports the unit directly radially toward the center of the hat block with its discharge end in close proximity to the hat upon the block. In this position, the discharge end of the unit bears against the hat brim, and in order to protect the brim from the heat, one side of the split clamping member 51 is covered with a facing 122 of asbestos which contacts the brim. Before each steaming operation the shield 54 is adjusted across the steam discharge aperture to properly fix the width of said. aperture with relation to the width of the ribbon to be steamed. The number of the steaming operations is recorded by the counting mechanism 98 which is automatically operated each time the steaming unit S is swung into operative position. The desired spaced relation between said unit and the hat is obtained by the proper adjustment of the handle 74: and latch device L along the segment 70.

It will be seen fromthe foregoing that I have provided a highly eflicient and compact apparatus. The means for winding the ribbon, for steaming it, and for generating the steam are all combined to form a portable self contained unit.

What I claim is: 1. In an apparatus of the class set forth a rotatably mounted hat block formed of sec tions mounted and arranged to be expanded apart and contracted together to vary the circumference of the block; a plurality of rigid bridge members mounted upon the block to shift radially thereof and formed and arranged to bridge the gaps formed in the peripheral surface of the block when its's-ections are expanded apart; resilient means adapted to yieldingly hold said bridge members in contact with the peripheral surface of the block in all of the expanded and contracted positions of the blocksections; an electrically heated sealing member; and means shiftably supporting the sealing member above the hat block and adapting it to be moved into contact with a hat upon the block, the bridge members being adapted to resist the pressure of the sealing iron and firmly support the hat at the gaps between the block sections.

2. An apparatus of the class set forth comprising a hat support, steam discharge means, a support for the said discharge means adapted to be shifted to move said means to and from a position to discharge steam upon a hat mounted upon said hat support, a support for rolled strips of ribbon and rubber cement located adjacent the hat support and adapted to be shifted to move said rolled strips toward and from the hat support, and means connect-.

ing the support for the rolled strips with the support for the discharge means to adapt said supports to be shifted in unison.

3. An apparatus for banding hats comprising a table or main support; a hat support rotatably mounted thereon; an electrically heated steam generating and discharge unit; means shiftably supporting said unit upon the main support to move toward and from the said pipe into the generator when i the said valve is open and determine the maximum flow of water in accordance with the capacity of the generator to convert the total amount of water supplied to it into steam..

4. In an apparatus for banding hats, a rotatably mounted hat support; an'electrically heated steam generating and discharge unit to discharge steam upon a hat on said support; a water tank adapted to hold air under pressure; a supply pip e leading from said tank to the generator; and a manually operable valve in said pipe to control the flow of water to the generator, the generator being constantly open to discharge the steam as it is generated and prevent an accumulation of pressure in the generator.-

5. In an apparatus of the class set forth, a rotatably mounted hat block formed of segmental sections mounted and arranged to be radially expanded apart and contracted together to vary the circumference of the block; 1

manually operable means to expand or contract said block sections; a plurality. of rigid, segmental bridge members formed separately from the block sections, formed and arranged to bridge the gaps in the peripheral surface of the block when its sections are expanded apart and to bear against the peripheral surfaces of the sections at opposite sides of the gaps; guiding and retaining extensions carried by said bridge members and extending inwardly from the block periphery; means guiding said extensions for radial movement relatively to the block along lines intermediate the radial lines of shift of the block sections; and springs yieldably and constantly holding said bridge members against the signature.

ERNEST E. HODSHON. 

